Confronted by a hooded thief wielding a blade, this gutsy shop worker decided to fight back, grabbing a bottle of wine from a shelf and hitting the thug on the head.

Dramatic CCTV images capture the moment the shop assistant, known only as Raja, wrestles the balaclava-wearing robber to the ground during a two-minute tussle.

The video shows the thief, Christopher Hall, 29, bursting into Dartmouth Food and Wine in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent earlier this year before being fended off by the brave worker.

Scroll down for video

No escape: After noticing the thief had entered the store in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, shop worker Raja, wearing the blue jumper, raced to the door to prevent Hall, wearing the white hoodie, from trying to leave the property

Unmasked: During the tussle Raja managed to remove Hall's balaclava leaving him exposed on the shop's CCTV cameras. In this picture, products can be seen strewn on the floor while Raja goes to retrieve the wine bottle

Fighting back: The shop keeper returns to confront Hall with a bottle of wine that he grabbed from a nearby shelf. Hall has put his hood back on in attempt to conceal his face,

Video: The moment a shopkeeper fended off a robber using a bottle of wine (Warning: contains violent scenes)

After Hall enters the shop, Raja can be seen bravely blocking the thief from making a getaway as he tries to stab him with his weapon.

During the confrontation, caught in the 3.38 minute clip, the shop worker manages to rip off the thief's balaclava, revealing his face.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

Hall, who eventually made off with only three packets of cigarettes, pleaded guilty to robbery and was jailed for three years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday.

Thief: Christopher Hall who attempted to stab a shopkeeper during the robbery made off with only three packets of cigarettes. The court heard how a relationship had failed and Hall had lost his job and home before the attack

He was traced by police after cutting his hand during the tussle on September 22 this year, with a successful DNA match from a blood sample leading police to Hall.

Judge Granville Styler described the incident as an 'unpleasant robbery' involving 'considerable violence'.

The judge said: 'You targeted a vulnerable shop
worker, you used a weapon to threaten the victim and you used
considerable violence when disguised with a balaclava.'

The footage shows Hall trying to block Raja using a greeting cards stand, but the shop keeper eventually grabs a bottle of wine to defend himself.

At one stage during the standoff, Hall lunges towards Raja brandishing his knife - but the shop assistant manages to block the attack with the bottle, causing the blade to snap off.

Raja eventually hits Hall with the bottle before running into the street for help and raising the alarm.

Hall,
from Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent, also leaves the store before brazenly walking back in and attempting to open the till with his broken knife.

Prosecuting, Heather Chamberlin, told
the court: 'The worker pulled at the robber’s balaclava and was able to
see the man was white.

'He grabbed a wine bottle and told the man to go.'

Miss Chamberlin added: 'He looked
through the shop door and saw the man trying to open the till with the
broken knife. He told him to stop and said somebody was coming.

Hall grabs a greeting card stand in an attempt to fend off the shopkeeper but it can be seen in the video falling to the ground

Ready to strike: This photo taken from another camera clearly shows Hall brandishing a knife, while Raja clinches a bottle of wine to defend himself

Call for help: After fending off Hall, Raja runs out into the street to raise the alarm

'The man came out of the shop stuffing something in his pocket. He took three packets of cigarettes.'

In a statement Raja, who no longer works in the shop, described his fear during the incident.

Scene of the attack: Dartmouth Food and Wine in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, where the robbery took place on September 22 at 9pm

He said: 'I believed he was going to kill me. I will never forget this incident.'

Majuran Kathirkanathan,
26, whose family own the shop, said: 'There have been cases of people
trying to run off with spirits before but nothing as violent as this.

'The worker was in the back filling up stock when the robber first came into the shop.

'He had a knife with him which he tried to stab the assistant with but luckily he missed.

'The worker managed to pull off the robber’s mask so he was trying to hide his face from the cameras.

'He rang me to say he had been
attacked and we told him to close the shop straight away. We were
worried for him but he kept saying that he wasn’t hurt.

'We are very happy that he has been jailed for three years.'

The court heard that Hall has
written a letter of apology to his victim and that prior to the robbery he had lost his job, home and
relationship.

Kevin Mortlock, defending, said Hall had 'no intention of harming' the shopkeeper.